Danger: Deep Water
by LucySpiller
Summary: Based around mid-Season 2. When Aria is attacked by Jason and Ezra saves her, how will her family and friends work together to solve the mystery of that night.
1. Prologue

**Danger: Deep Water**

Hello! So this is my first PLL story so hope its okay and it's good like the other amazing ones already published! The story is based around mid-Season 2, when Jason is getting close to Aria and when the other girls were warning her to keep away from him.

Prologue

They say drowning is meant to be painful, horrible, that your lungs fill up with fluid and that slowly but increasingly you struggle to breathe, that as one by one your organs begin to go into overload and that you sink and sink until you reach the bottom and that's it. No beating. No moving. Just stillness and you're gone, forever.

The current of the small river located in the woodland area of Rosewood was increasing. A storm across from the valley was brewing violently and soon the entire town of rosewood would encounter its biggest shower and weather warning had been issued to express the seriousness of the storm that it hadn't been this bad in years.

As the river felt the first droplets of water hit the river slowly as the clouds only opened their gates to allow the water down. They sinked into the water that already remained, making no difference.

As the water fell down harder, the sound as it hit the water making bangs and loud pelts against the liquid surface, the water became murky and dirty as the rocks and old items that had been thrown into the river and were left on the small layer of sand at the bottom were being tossed and turned til they reached the surface of the river. The water was mixing dangerously against itself.

In the middle of all this commotion and danger a petite teenager was stuck in the river as the rapids created by the energy the storm was bringing were created around her fragile figure and the water levels were increasing further and further up her body.

The water gushed around her body, covering her face so every droplet entered through her mouth as she tried to gasp for air, struggling against the current and power of the water. Her nose becoming increasing sore from the oxygen she was trying to allow to pump through the two small identify holes.

This was her only chance of survival. A glint of hope just as realistic as seeing a leprechaun coming out of a rainbow with a pot of gold. Her spirit was fading like the way her eyes became more glossy loosing concentration and the fight she was constituently having against the current and force of the water was wearing her out to exhaustion.

She felt a hand, smooth skin around her arm, the finger were tightly and securely around her arm. She felt her body being lead through the water, the waves hitting against her body as she was forced against the current instead of following it downstream.

As she felt the same hands around her body, move down to her waist she felt her body being lifted out of the water as the droplets began to fall from her body and clothing that was no stuck to her skin like glue. The texture of grass below her made her feel relieved, she back on land.


	2. Waiting

Thanks for your replies and I'm hoping that this chapter really clears a few things up. As it goes along you'll eventually learn more and more til obviously the end where it's all a puzzle being fixed. Thanks for reading. PS. I'm awful at medical stuff so if things are incorrect I am sorry and if you feel there is something I missed, just say!

**Chapter One**

Beep. Beep. Beep. The machine sounded. Still confirming that the heartbeat of the sixteen year old girl was still beating. Beep. Beep. Beep. Once again. Her heart rate was stable and her oxygen levels were beginning to become equal once again. The IV drip connected on the top of her hand lead many wires to be around her body and coming down from different heights.

She laid there. Completely unaware of the amount of people that were stood around the bed. Everyone person here had a reason for loving this special teenager and would never want to part with her. Their heads flinched every moment she made, every breath that looked painful with the movement of her ribs they jumped out. Every time something beeped without needing to it would alert them and cause further worry. The concern and frightfulness they had for this girl in front of them for some became too much.

From the left hand side of the bed from where the machine stood in its own place, directly next to it stood the IV drip and then Hanna, Emily and Spencer. Their faces didn't change once. They had all four of them been through something many people couldn't even compare to once their life was about to end. The drama and concruptness of how their lives were was nothing to joke about and this accident was just enough problems the girls would get through and fight together, as they always did.

In the centre of the room, and looking directly at their daughter stood her mother and father. Their pain could be felt like a thick cloud of smoke in the air. Their eyes were shooting at their daughter as they refused moved. Their hands entwined with each other. Praying their little girl who never let anything stop her would pull through and would recover as she had always done before. Stood next to them, was their son, their other child. He looked concerned for his sister. They had always argued, fought, but recently they came together and put everything behind them. He prayed she'd be fine, he needed to see her again, to have another bathroom fight for who could use it first in the morning, who would finish the bacon off on a Sunday morning. He had too many things he wanted to do before she left him.

And lastly on her right hand side away from everyone else was Ezra. His hand never left her hand as he held onto it. He couldn't lose her. He loved her, she loved him. He knew this. He never let go of her hand scared if he did he would lose her forever and would never get her back. He could see her parents giving him evil glares every now and then. Normally he would back away and let them have their way but not today. He knew she needed him here and she would never forgive him if she woke and he wasn't here. He was staying for her.

A nurse and doctor entered the room, feeling the heat hit their faces hardly as they noticed the amount of people in the room. Normally they wouldn't allow this many people but their faces looked so destroyed and desperate. The small nurse grabbed the chart and began filling in the information where nesccary as she had been doing for the last few hours every hour on the trot. The doctor stood in the corner of the room where all the faces could clearly see his and could ask questions.

"Hello. I am Doctor Carter" he smiled as everyone looked up seeing he was most likely to announce something based about Aria's condition and what was going on. All the faces listening intensively as he spoke.

"Right, I understand what happened. From the scans and x-rays and the other tests we have carried out in the last few hours we've determined that she had a lot of fluid enter her lungs and this is why she is still unconscious as the water is still draining out and it seems she banged her head at some point hence the wound. I suspect she will wake up in the next few hours though I do also suggest that several of you go home and as soon as she wakes up we will call you. We have your numbers" the doctor suggested. He knew waiting was the hardest part and in several cases it had been pointless waiting for nothing to happen.

The head all looked around, seeing who was going to go home and leave only a few people waiting. Just as it would happen Spencer's mom walked into the room, seeing the amount of people waiting by her beside. She smiled at Bryon and Ella giving them both a supportive look and held onto Ella's hand. "Right, you heard the doctor girls. You're coming back to mine, all of you. And Ella, do you want me to take Mike with me?" she suggested. The girls looked sad to think they would be leaving her so early and soon. Ella nodded and Bryon also. They didn't want Mike to be on his own but also knew him sitting here waiting wasn't helping him. He gave him parents a wide hug before walking all 5 of them being reassured any news they would be rang and texted as soon as they found out anything.

The room was now narrowed down to Ella, Bryon and Ezra. Both the parents looked to Ezra, seeing the tired and weak look in his eyes as he pretended that a yawn didn't escape his mouth and saw that both the wise parents were glaring at him. "Ezra, why don't you go home?" Ella suggested. A sense of care and compassion filling up her tone as Ezra shock his head. He refused.

"She'd never leave my side if I was here" was all he replied quietly, pulling her hand up to his mouth and kissing it smoothly against her skin.


	3. Breathing

**Chapter Two**

Ella and Bryon nodded. They knew he was right, but they weren't going to tell him anytime soon. They had found out about their relationship a little over a month ago. The moment they both held hands made them shiver from inside out. They didn't understand how it worked and still didn't. Ella saw the destruction in her daughter as they banned her from seeing him and began slightly trusting Ezra again, for her daughter. Whereas Bryon never tried, why should he. He didn't need him, he believed Aria didn't either.

Ezra had gently fallen asleep; his head leant on his chest as he breathed loudly causing Ella and Bryon to look over him. With both his eyes closed tightly shut he still kept a hold of Aria's hand. They began to believe that maybe he did in fact love their daughter.

"Bryon, why don't you go get us some coffee?" Ella suggested, seeing her husband's eyes as tired as hers. She looked over to Ezra who was now drifting in and out of his sleeping, and told Bryon to get a coffee for Ezra as well much to Bryon's dislike.

Ella shuffled her chair closer to Ezra. Seeing him gently lift his body up, his neck slightly stiffened from the sleeping position he had been in. she noticed him look at her. "Oh, I'm sorry" he replied quickly, realising he had been sleeping.

"Don't apologise, you're tired" Ella politely replied back. She didn't see the point in kicking a man who was already down. She had to face it; he was hurting just as much as they were.

"I should have kept awake for her" he focused upon her face. Even when she was sleeping she looked so beautiful, her face still remained like a china doll and perfection was simply the best word to explain her entire face into one. He always smiled when she slept next to him, as he would watch her for hours.

Ella placed her hand on top of Ezra's seeing the shocked look in his face towards her gestures. "Don't beat yourself up Ezra. Aria wouldn't be angry, I know it would mean so much that you're here. That would be enough for her" she smiled. The word of comfort finally sinking into the young mans face opposite her.

Bryon walked in, handing out the coffees to those in the seats, seeing both Ella and Ezra thank him invidvually. A crowd of smiles appeared as the caffeine in the drink began working and already their faces and energy levels began to increase.

As they all sipped their drinks at different time they all in unison put their cups onto their laps as the doctor from earlier walked back into the room, with a nurse occupying him. He walked over shaking both Aria's parents hands and then Ezra's.

"well, we believe that Aria is stable enough to be allowed off the life support machine, and that she should be able to breath on her own, so if all goes to plan she will be awake within the next few hours" While the doctor was explain what was going to happen to their daughter the nurse began to unplug the certain machinery and took the long tube out from her mouth as for a few seconds her chest heavily pushed up and down causing Ezra to look over at her completing forgetting the doctor was still speaking.

"I suggest that you all go home, get showered, and have a nap, something to eat. When she wakes up she'll need your support as much as possible" the doctor replied seeing the three adults in the room all look nothing like egar to leave the teenager.

"Ella, Bryon, you two go home for abit. I promise if anything happens I'll ring" Ezra suggested. A part of him wanted to be alone with Aria on his own knowing that when she woke up she'd be calmer to see that the three people weren't together. They both looked at each other realising that they needed a nap and a warm shower wouldn't go a miss. They both left, kissing Aria's forehead and reassured Ezra that he'd call with any news, no matter how small.

"It's just us now" he kissed her gently on her mouth, he gently moved away as he realised her chest was moving up and down more carefully now and her small nose was beginning to twitch carefully, the same way she did when she was dreaming. He held onto her hand, feeling her tightening the grip on her own behalf. A huge smile inside of him lifted realising she was beginning to wake up.

As he gently closed his eyes, within in five minutes she was asleep. The feel of his hand being moved gently shoke him out his dreams. Seeing Aria in front of him, her head was now lifted up slightly and her eyes flattering around the room, as she tried to identify where she was.

"Aria, you're awake" he jumped, pressing his arms around her body kissing her forehead gently as he began to dial the numbers who he promised to tell as soon as she woke up.


	4. Realisation

Thank you so much for everyone who's reviewed/followed this story, it means a lot! I cut this chapter quite short as you'll see once you read it but I've left it so I can continue it next chapter and include so important information about what happened to Aria via some flashbacks! Enjoy!

**Chapter Three**

Aria's eyes kept on fluttering for several minutes. The lightings in hospitals were always so bright when you woke up after being asleep longer than a few hours; they're flicking sparkle allowing your eyes to see around you gently. She began to gently move her arm, feeling the numb sensation around her whole body, as the minutes progressed slowly but enduringly her limbs began to move gently against the blankets and sheets on the hospital bed.

She tried to move her body, so she was in an sitting up position, her back aching from the position that she had been left in, and the pain her neck that felt like she had slept funny. Ezra quickly stood up, supporting her from her back and gently allowed her to move slowly up before he sat back down.

She held onto her hand refusing to let go of her. He feared once again if he did he'd never get the chance too. He kept looking at Aria every few seconds to check she was still awake, that what had happened was him hoping his daydreams were really coming true. "I'm here Ezra" he smiled gently before tightening the grip onto his hand.

"I know, I just" he smiled, he didn't quite believe how he felt about this girl in front of him. When he first saw her, her body so weak and lifeless it killed him inside. He had never seen her so destructed. He never wished anything like this to happen to this worst enemy let alone someone who meant more to him than he had ever expressed too.

"Ezra" Aria stopped him in his thoughts, seeing he was concentrating a little too much.

He nodded gently, he knew like most occasions Aria was right. He didn't need her to say how she felt and what she was thinking; he could feel what she wanted him to do, to say to make things better.

"I love you, Aria" she spoke quietly, gulping loudly as he revealed those precious words that shouldn't be said unless they were truthful and in times pure love. Aria's face lit up, her wide eyes, were now wet and the tears were dripping down her cheeks, the white glow she had once had now changed as her cheeks redden.

"I love you too" she smiled, his hand coming closer to her face as he wiped away the tears from her cheeks, bringing his hand to help support her head as she moved in towards her. Their lips brushing together, gentle at first but roughened as they began to rediscover the passion they had before everything had happened.

A cough appeared from the door, several faces looked into the room, their mouths dropped opened as they saw that Aria was awake and that the texts they received explaining she was perfectly fine were no joke. Ella and Bryon glared towards Ezra, they didn't expect they would ever see their teenage daughter making out with an ex-colleague of theirs in front of them. Ella was more aware of their relationship and knew more than what Bryon did. He didn't want to know anything; it would only keep him further awake at night.

Aria's friends all came towards the bed; their arms huggling around her as they all leant in, these girls had been through everything and no matter what happened they knew that they could all rely on each other no matter what the issue was. "I'm so glad you're okay. You gave us all such a shock" Hanna finally spoke out loud. After the accident she had last time she realised how nerve-wracking it must have been for her family and friends as they waited for her to wake up and to find out the extent of her injuries.

"So what happened?" Emily had gently rested against the bed, grabbing her friends hand as she felt the confusion in her friend's eyes. Emily had always seen Aria as determined; she never gave up no matter how difficult something was. But today, in this moment she looked so defeated. Her body was almost giving up on her and her eyes looked they were holding up the world and a planet.

Aria, walked as the entire room full of people gazed upon her. She searched each and every face as they waited patiently to find out the reasons behind why she ended up here. She didn't need to take a picture to show them their faces; it was like seeing the same face on every person, like a mask. They all showed the fear and terror in their eyes.


	5. I'm Back

Thanks for your replies! Lacking motivation so sorry for the long delay in this reply!

**Chapter Four**

Aria breathed deeply, allowing her lungs to gently fill with air and then release out the unwanted quanties. The worrying faces watched her as they saw her eyes like a timeline process what was happening to her in the past weeks before she ended up in the condition she was now.

Aria looked around before beginning from the start. "About a year ago" she replied softly.

_*flashback*_

Aria held onto Ezra's hands in the car. The rain was pouring down so fast that even window wipers were useless. No one could see and making driving conditions high risk. As Ezra had parked the car into an unused layby that had just come up he turned to Aria seeing the desperation and innocence in her eyes.

"We can't do this Aria. It's getting dangerous" Ezra hinted. He didn't want to say these words. But every signal in his brain was reminding him constantly of the consequences of what they were doing. That people in jail got worse sentences for these sorts of things that other inmates didn't react too well to those kinds. He didn't want to think about anything except her but knew the dangers were higher.

Aria held on tighter to Ezra's hand, sliding her body gently further and closer to his seat, leaving half her body leant against his. She could feel his breath against her neck and the air was cold revealing each breathes as clear as gold. "We're already doing this, it's always been dangerous" she had the glint in her eye. The one which made Ezra want to do anything she suggested. She didn't realise how perceived she was but the power she had over Ezra could sometimes be more dangerous than the prospect of what could happen if anyone found out.

"Aria, I don't want anything to happen to you" his desperation for her safety was becoming clear. They had been messing around like this, casual hugs in his classroom but nothing major as of yet. They had been clearly fond of each other, spending as much time as possible without getting suspsion past upon them both.

Aria leant back the passenger seat, the rain was beginning to get heavier and it worried her about her getting home in time for the curfew her parents had set and only kept so high since she always arrived home on time. She didn't fancy getting any more punishments and with her parents not being so close she hated doing anything which caused stress and disagreement. "It's getting late Ezra" she sighed. She had hoped not to end the night the way it was. Him telling her he was scared, her saying she didn't care. When she did care, of course she cared what happened to Ezra if anyone found out, what would happen to her if people found out. She'd never live it down.

"I know. I'll take you back" with that Ezra turned the lights on and the engine, checking his mirrors before pulling out and heading for Aria's road. They normally would park down the road and allow Aria to walk up however with the heavy rain and storm warnings he wasn't going to make her walk more than nesccary. She sighed but agreed. The chances of her parents waiting outside the window for her would be high but she knew Ezra would never forgive himself if anything happened to her.

Within in ten minutes they finally arrived outside the house, the rain had soaked the plants and grass of the garden from the front. Her parents stood looking out the window as she suspected most likely waiting to see if returned. She got out of the car knowing her parents would question her and with being out in the public kissing him goodbye would end badly. She got inside the house, quickly taking the wet shoes off and grabbing a small towel from the downstairs bathroom as she attempted to dry her body then moved onto her hair trying to allow less water to drip down her body before going into her bedroom and preparing herself for bed.

"Good evening?" her mother Ella asked her, she leant against the door frame, seeing her daughter looking beautiful no matter how damp her hair was and the makeup lines that were travelling down her cheeks. She entered the room, grabbing a cloth and gently rubbing the makeup off her face "Thanks" she smiled. Ella took a seat next to her daughter.

"It was okay thank you. Spencer just helped me with French homework. You know what I'm like" she lied. She hated lying to her mother especially. But knew this wasn't simple lying she wasn't lying to hurt anyone. She knew her mother would be against her relationship and would most likely take a more direct approach rather than the understanding one she dreamt of.

Ella nodded. She could sense her daughter wasn't being totally honest with her. She blamed herself and Bryon and their parenting from earlier years with both their children. They were the relaxed parent type. "Whose car did you get out of though, that wasn't spencer's" Aria looked nervous. She could sense her mother was onto her and she knew she had to respond quicker than she was "It was her dad's new car. He's renting it or something like that why his is in the garage" she smiled. Her mother seemed to buy it before kissing her forehead and walking out the room shutting the door gently on her way.

Aria climbed into the bed, seeing Ezra had texted her

"_I missed our kiss goodbye. Sweet dreams – E xx" _Aria smiled like a small child to herself. She loved receiving cute texts even when they were from her teacher who she happened to be dating and loved more than she'd admit to anyone.

She replied back simply telling she missed it too and wished him a good night. She sighed as she turned over in her bed, pulling the duvet up over to her neck as she heard another beep. She slowly got up out of the covers and checked her phone reading _"Unknown number"_ she sighed opening the text. The biggest regret of her life.

"_I don't think mummy would like to find out you kiss your teacher in his car in the rain? – A"_


	6. Real Life

**Chapter Five**

Aria remained still as she spoke the first time that A had texted her. The heads that were listening intensively all showing different expressions. Her mother looked angry but hurt, she knew back then her daughter wasn't being completely honest with her. The girls looked in fear as they all began reminding themselves of past experiences with A and the way that they ruined anything the girls had in their lives at the moment.

As everyone began muttering to themselves a nurse quickly made her entrance into the crowded room during her duties and began filling the forms in located at the end of The bed "Aria, how you feeling?" the nurse asked seeing her cheeks flushed and a few drips of sweat beginning to form on her forehead.

"Hot" she sighed, rubbing away the water from her face before waving her hand in front of her face to get some fresh air into her lungs as she began breathing deeper. The nurse came closer to bed, examining her temperature and turned quickly getting the doctor who she could hear was doing his rounds on the ward. She re-entered the with the doctor following closely "Right can everyone go wait in the visitors room please" the room began to get slowly empty as the friends left leaving only Ezra who refused to let go of her hand as he felt her hold on tighter the fear in her eyes scaring him also. "I'm not leaving her" Ezra replied back. He held onto her hand gently rubbing her palm. The doctor looked at Aria seeing the state she getting herself into and nodded "okay" he didn't normally allow exceptions but seeing the state of his patient and what she had been through recently made him reconsider his actions.

"Last one Aria" the doctor smiled confidently before pushing the last needle into her arm. She closed her eyes tightly slowing the tears were falling and Ezra hand behind her back supporting her with his sweet voice.

"Right it seems your heart rate and temperature is beginning to lower again" he was holding the several charts in front of him showing the evidence.

Ezra smiled with relief. He had never felt so scared for Aria before. He had never seen her that I'll before either. "Can you go get the others please? My mum looked so scared" Aria gulped the guilty obvious in her eyes. He lent down and kissed her forehead sweetly before leaving the room and heading to find the others.

"Aria, we're going to run those tests and see what's going on" the nurse informed before handing her some paracemtol and a glass of water before walking out leaving Aria in the quiet room.

Ezra walked into the room full of people he recognized. There are faces looking at him for words to be released. He sat down on the chair "She's had some tests done were waiting for the results but everything is back down to what it should be" he heard the room sigh with relief. "Ella she told me to tell you to get you first" Ezra remembered his instructions. The smile upon her face showed how happy she was about Aria. Ella stood up leaving the room and heading to see her daughter.

"aria" she cried as she leant down and pulled her daughter into an embrace, brushing her hand through her daughters ebony locks.

"I'm okay mum" Aria laughed softly before moving gently over in her bed as her mum came and sat next to her, allowing her daughters head onto her chest. "I'm sorry I lied" she sighed. She couldn't get the look of her mother's disappoint during her tale earlier out of her mind.

Ella kissed her forehead "I'm not saying I accept your relationship with Ezra or anything of that sort but i've realised you'll always do the right thing and staying with him is the right thing" after she finished she pulled her daughter in tighter feeling her breathing heavier and noticed her eyes were closed.

It had been several weeks since Aria first came into hospital. She was now getting ready to leave, the doctors giving her the all clearing and just advising if she was ever to repeat the experience to came back straight away. She thanked them all before leaving. Ezra had come to pick her up while her family and friends were at the family home cleaning and preparing a whole dinner for everyone to stay and celebrate Aria being home.

"How come their not home yet" Bryon muted looking up at the clock on the kitchen wall seeing it had been over an hour since Ezra had left to go get her. Ella walked up next to husband seeing the stress in his eyes. He wasn't entirely happy about their relationship but knew Aria needed support and love not anything less. "He's properly just still getting her home, traffic, maybe she wanted something" Ella continued reeling off the list of possibilities for their absence.

Aria walked through her house with Ezra following behind holding the several bags that family had brought over for her when she was in hospital and put them next to staircase before joining Aria in the kitchen.

She walked into the kitchen both her parents throwing their arms around their little girl as she giggled slightly before moving away and hugging her friends individually and thanking them for everything they did for her over the last few weeks.

They all sat down and began eating the food Ella had spent most of the morning preparing for her guests. After dinner everyone went into the living room sitting down on the sofas and using cushions to sit on the floor with as everyone huddled around each other enjoying the moment the best they could.

Aria was siting asleep on Ezra's lap snoring gently into his neck. She jumped and began choking everyone turned their heads and focused upon Aria who now realised what she had just done. "Girls would you mind taking Mike for an Ice cream or something?" Ella suggested wanting to talk to her daughter alone. The girls all nodded and playfully left the house with Mike teasing him as they suggested they went shopping instead.

Ella went into the kitchen grabbing a glass of water for her daughter before handing it to her where she was seated on the sofa the mean she idolised either side of her.

"I'm okay" she smiled trying to prove to Ezra and her father she was okay. She knew they were both worried about her and what scared her most was they both weren't leaving her alone for a second scared something else will happen.

"So what happened in your dream?" Ella asked peacefully seeing her husband nod before getting ready to listen to his daughter.

*flashback*

The woodland area was in pure darkness, the only light existing was the backlight from Aria's phone as she kept flashing the thing around in the sky to get some sort of signal coverage and it wasn't looking hopeful. She sighed louder heading towards the river as she knew if she followed the river it ends up at the highway and a place that she knew Ezra could come pick her up at and always knew it had signal. She shivered and rubbed away her goosebumps as they began covering her skin, the night cold air was sweeping in like a plague and making the experience already worse. She had received a text telling her to meet her at the tree they all knew as an tree of importance during high school

*end flashback*

"Aria, who sent you the text?" Ezra asked confused at first he thought it could be one of her friends but they'd surely say sooner than this.

Aria grabbed her phone from her pocket and scrolling down the list of names on her phone till she found the text. "It was A" she began crying feeling Ezra's arm scoop around her as he tried to sooth her.


End file.
